>I was trying to make my MS Word to create a new template file (normal.dat). First, even after closing all Word documents, I could not delete this file (residing in C:\Documents and Settings\Dmitry Litvak\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates). What I had to do is close Outlook; and after that I was able to delete this file. The only thing I see in this folder is a hidden file ~$Normal.dat
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>Now, after opening Word and/or Outlook, the file Normal.dat is not created. Still, I can create new documents in Word and create new email messages in Outlook. What do these program now use as a default template?

It's "normal.dot", Dmitry, not ".dat".

Don't know about Outlook. Sorry.